Page 30 - The Indian EUE111326

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | The Indian Eye 30

Historic Open-Air Garba Transforms Oak Tree

Road into a Vibrant Cultural Celebration

The event Draws More Than 9,000 Visitors Over Two Nights

OUR BUREAU with local merchants. Each partici-
pating business displayed a QR code
ISELIN, NJ
that visitors could scan to collect a
ak Tree Road became a live- digital stamp. Each stamp provided
ly outdoor celebration of an entry into that evening’s free prize
OIndian culture on Thursday, drawing, with no purchase or app in-
October 22, and Friday, October 23, stallation required.
as Woodbridge Township and Mayor Forty-nine businesses participat-
John E. McCormac, in association ed, and the program recorded more
with Oak Tree Road Iselin businesses, than 3,000 store visits across the two
presented the first Open Air Garba. nights. Developed and operated by
The two-night event drew a reported New Jersey-based DotCode Net-
combined attendance of more than works, the passport program encour-
9,000 visitors from New Jersey and aged attendees to explore jewelers,
the tri-state region. boutiques, restaurants, sweet shops
The roadway between Middle- and other local establishments.
sex Avenue and Correja Avenue Beyond its cultural significance,
was closed to traffic for free Garba the celebration demonstrated the
dancing from 7 to 10 p.m. each night, economic vitality of Oak Tree Road
while participating shops welcomed and the importance of supporting
customers from 5 to 11 p.m. Garba, local businesses. With 49 businesses
a traditional group dance associated participating in the innovative pass-
with the Hindu festival of Navratri, port program and more than 3,000
brought families and neighbors to- recorded store visits, the event en-
gether in a festive street setting. couraged visitors to discover local
Singer Umesh Patel headlined restaurants, jewelry stores, clothing
Thursday and Rex Dsouza headlined boutiques and other establishments.
Friday. Each performed live from a The partnership highlighted how cul-
stage in the middle of the roadway. tural programming can strengthen
Jahanvi Mehta and Kim Kumari commercial districts while bringing
hosted both evenings as co-emcees, communities together.
keeping the crowd moving between barricades. The business community Eye News Group, Radio Zindagi, More than $12,000 in prizes were
the performances, the nightly Aarti coordinated performers, decorations, Woodbridge TV-35, Gujarat Dar- reported as awarded through live
and the prize drawings. Decorative prizes and promotion. Four free pub- pan, India Today Global, News India drawings. On Thursday, Golam Mow-
lights and marigold garlands added lic parking lots were available, with Times, Masala Junction, EBC Radio, la won a 20-gram gold bar (reported
to the atmosphere. QR-code directions to help visitors Aaj Tak and ITV Gold. value $2,800) from the Oak Tree
Woodbridge Township arranged reach the event. A distinctive feature of the cele- Road Business Association; Monira
the street closure, police and secu- Eleven media partners support- bration was the Oak Tree Road Pass- Miah won a buy-one-get-one-free
rity coverage, lighting, power and ed coverage: TV Asia, The Indian port, created to connect festivalgoers Continued on next page... >>

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